Tag: sidewinder

Your friendly neighborhood ATH staff members have emerged from SXSW week and I think we’re all finally ready to reminiscence on what transpired. As we’ve done in the past, it seems like a perfect time to hand out some awards for the festival with superlatives that we made up like 5 minutes ago. Keep in mind we saw a lot of bands, had a bit to drink, and ventured out to more venues than we can possibly remember. So buckle up, hit the jump and see who we deemed worthy and deserving of our very prestigious awards.

Our friends, The Spook School have been on tour with Great Grandpa and Diet Cig. Winter tours can be fickle things, especially if you run through the southwest, shorts and a t-shirt to parkas and snow boots. In speaking with the band’s spokesperson, aka Niall, he shared a few tour anecdotes as he was warming up pre-set in his customary vest and boxer shorts. House party shows, sold out gigs, long runs cross country, actually paying rent while on the road, things are on the up for the band. We are huge fans and love their songs, their message and their shows. Though The Spook School played first, they were our headliners.

Click through for pics of the set and some notes on the bands sharing the stage…

Feel like we might all be taking Widowspeak for granted, but luckily Austinites have the chance to remedy that by heading to Sidewinder tomorrow evening. Through four albums, the band has been nothing but an example of musical consistency, though I feel it necessary to mention that Expect the Best might be their best release. There’s such depth to each track, brooding and coated in delicate vocals…and added textures of strings/accompaniment build to make swelling pop opuses. It’s an early show, with doors at 6:30 PM, with Clearance schedule to open just after 7. Buy yourself a ticket HERE. Stream the entirety of their latest release for Captured Tracks below.

Looking for a rock show on a Tuesday night in Austin? Look no further than the loaded line up down at Sidewinder. Headlined by West Virginia rockers Rozwell Kid, your sure to be treated to a show by the main act. Personally, I’m excited for openers Great Grandpa, though their set may be short. And middle act Vundabar, out of Boston, is certainly no slouch. This is a great lineup for a middle of the week show.

You ever go to a show excited about the headliner, and in fact, very impressed by the headliner, but walk away a bigger fan of an opener?

That very thing happened last Saturday when Austin converged on The Sidewinder last Saturday night. Black Marble was outstanding. They ended up selling the place out. However, I was really taken by Body of Light; they were fully on target for the renaissance of analog synth pop/dark wave I am delighted to see surging right now. The fact that openers Draa held their own here was also worth praise.

If you are out and about tonight, perhaps you should go say to Big Bill at friends at Electric Church. It is one of the best lineups of the residency. Check it out here. But if you are keeping it lowkey tonight and want to burn it out tomorrow…

We make no bones that Black Marble had one of our favorite records of last year. It’s Immaterial is packed with waves of density, haunting basslines and respites of sparse tension. This show at Sidewinder instantly went on my calendar.

I also want to highlight the openers. I missed the PR blitz when Body of Light‘s record Let Me Go came out last summer. I am bummed about that. It is full on new wave perfection with peppered in samples that will haunt you until you figure them out. Draa rounds out the bill bringing gorgeous echoing pop. Listen to previews of all three below.

I’ve been really looking forward to this show for awhile, as I’m wholly stuck on B-Boys new record, Dadism. The band have this old school punk vibe, though thrown into a world of odd structures and a sense of urgency…it’s like if Parquet Courts had gotten artier (and better). Plus, the headliner is Merchandise, who always put on a really great show, continuing to impress with their constantly changing vibe. Street Themes will also be going on early to kick off the night. Doors at 6:30 over at Sidewinder, so be there or risk missing out on one of the best shows coming in town this summer.

Hey, all. Catching up on sharing some show photos. Last Friday was an insanely busy night with bands like Real Estate, Small Black and Terry Malts headlining around The Red River Cultural District. It meant meeting different groups of friends and seeing more bands in one night that some people see all year. Don’t you feel sorry for them?

It’s that time of year folks…the time of year when Austin gets treated to the weird and the exhilarating…pretty much for the entirety of October…then it goes back to just being South Congress. This Saturday, Margin Walker is bring you Bill Ball 2 over at Sidewinder, and this line-up is pretty ridiculous: Big Bill, Deep Time, US Weekly, Basketball Shorts, Masculine Pain, Mom Jeans, Que Pasa and more…full details found HERE.

Plus…the show will also be a celebration of the new Big Bill 7″ featuring “Every City” and “Food Chain.” We’re putting it out via ATH Records, so if you can’t make it to the show, grab it HERE.

Man…the Big Bill ride never stops, never slows down. Friday, the band streamed their brand new Every City/Food Chain 7″, which we’re very excited to release. You can grab it HERE, or stream it below. But, because they want to work hard to make sure our city doesn’t suck, they’re also organizing a really great Bill Ball 2 for you to enjoy this Saturday at Sidewinder. Despite the busiest schedule, the band managed to organize a promotional video for you as well (Find it HERE)! And guess what? We’ve got it all here, today! Also…if and you wanna, you can grab both Big Bill 7″ for a sweet $8 price tag over at the Shop.